Vulcanizer



Oct- 28, 1941- J. w. BRUNDAGE 2,260,965

VULGANIZER Filed June 13, 1938 e Sheet- Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

James ZUT Erunaage BY MA 9 a? ATTO Y5 Oct. 28, 1941. J. w. BRUNDAGE VULCANIZER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, 1958 INVENTOR. Jamcs ZJ 372(776/496 v ATTORNEYS Oct. 28, 1941. J. w. BRUNDAGE 1 2,260,966

VULCANIZER Filed June 15, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR.

B 7077165 U 3174774296 5 m 9 9 ATTORNEYS Oct. 28, 1941. J. w. BRUNDAGE VULCANI ZER Filed June-15, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 mm m INVENTOR. ,Tmwes ZJ. zfufld dyfi m $6 44 whim 1 ATTOR EYS Oct. 28, 1941. J. WJBRUNDAGE' VUVLCANIZER Filed June 13, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 7/4 n 0 E? E INVENTOR. BY James zdffirzmzzge 0g ATT ofilEY-s J. W. BRUNDAGE VULCANI ZER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 13, 1938 I INVENTOR. -Jam65 U F1flrrdag6 Q? We Sag ATTORNEYKS Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VULCANIZER James ,W'. "Bru ndage Akron Ohio, assignor to Summit Mold and MachineCompany, Akron,

Ohio, acorporation of Ohio 7 s I 1 v Application Juli 1e13, 193s, SferiaINo. 213,402

5 Glaims.

This invention relates, as' -indicated,-tovulcanizers, but has reference more particularly to improvements in the vulcanizer disclosed'in my copending patent application; Serial-No."102,934.

A primary object of the invention is to provide arvulcanizer in which the number of movable parts has been reduced to a minimum without sacrificing accessibility and flexibility of operation. '1 r Another object of the" invent on- 15; to provide a vulcanizer having: meansresponsive to --the pressure in the 'gcuring; chamber-for preventing premature opening of the-vulcanizen- A further object of the invention is to provide a motor-driven vulcanizer ,in-which the resistance encountered in closing ,thepress shall be effective to .cause deenergization of the motor.--

A still further object of the inventionis to provide a motor-driven:vulcanizergin which; in addition to the means 'for preventing premature opening of the press, means have been provided for deenergizing the motor; is response to'efiorts of the'motor to overcome said'premature opening preventing means.

- To the accomplishment of-;the foregoing and 1 related ends, said invention, then consistsof the means hereinafter fully-described and par.- ticularly pointe'd'outinthe claims; 7- V The annexed drawings andt-he following description set forthin detail :certainmechjanism embodying; the invention; 'such disclosed means constituting; however, but none ofvarious me-' chanical forms in: Whichthei principle-off the invention may be used. r 1

In said annexed drawings; I :,,Fig. ,1 is an elevation'of one side of-aigpress embodying the principal features of :theinven- 1310.11; i I 1 .g-jiFi'gc 2 is a-frontelevation of the press Fig. 3-is an-elevation of -the other side .of the press, with portions. omitted inorder to more clearly show the uppermold section in closed position; I l

, Fig.4 is a .view similar .to Figs 3, but showing a somewhat modifiedpformflo'f press and "control mechanism therefor; I M l Fig.15 .isan enlarged view, partly in section, of the-safety-device'shownin Fig. 4; 4

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View, taken on the line '66 of Fig. 5; and

Fig..7 is a;view similar to Fig; 4, but with some differences in the control mechanism. i The illustrated apparatus embodying the principles of my invention consists ;of; a, base generally ndicated at J. to. whic a e attachedsnaceda 119-. x

wardly extending side plates 2 and 3, the latter supporting between their upper ends by the means hereinafter more particularly explained the-upperhead 4 of the press; The base I of the press includes a supporting frame 5 adapted to rest on asuitable foundation and rigidly secured to such frame 2 is a lower mold section 6. Mounted in the base frame 5 are the necessary conduits, etc, generally indicated at 1 by means of which the lower mold section is heated and the pressure medium supplied to the article to be cured in the" press. That is, a press of the character to which this invention relates, when employed for the purpose of curing automobile tires and tubes, must beprovided with means whereby such tire or tube may beinflated during the curing operation. The connections whereby such pressure media are'supplied to the article to be cured-are, in the present invention, located Within'the base of the press and therefore protected from damage and since they may be rigidly connected and supported, there is less chance of this important supply means becoming damaged or otherwise fail to function.

Mounted on'the inner faces of ,the-side-plates {and-3 are 'camplates8 and 9 respectively, the function of which will be hereinaftermore fully explained. The cam plates 8 and 9- areeach provided; Witha-curvedslot l0 and an auxiliary slot ll.--- g g Extending between the upper ends of the side plates 2 and 3'is a pivotal head -l2,'at its opposite ends provided with trunnions l3 uponwhich the same is supported. As most clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3,- the head I2 is provided with a rigid toggle arm I4, which, at its lower end, is connected by means of the shaft [5 to another toggle'arm- N5, the latter being connected by means of a shaft -l'l,-to the upper press head 4. The-opposite ends of the shaft I! carry rollers l8 which move in and are' guided by the cam slots l0.- :Extending from opposite sides at the rearof the upper press head 4 are stub shafts L9 whichcarry ro1lers 20 which move in and are guided by the cam slots ll. 1 Y

'Oscillatably mounted between the side plates at-theirupper ends on a shaft 2| are leverarms 2;. Likewise secured to the shaft 2| is an arm 23, theforward end of which is provided with a substantially vertically extending opening through which extends the stem 24 of the piston 25 of a pressure responsive diaphragm valve 26. The stem 24 is provided with an adjustingnut 21 adapted to engage the upperface of the --arm 23 and as the piston "25 descends, cause a counterclockwise rotation of the arm 23, the shaft 2| and the arms 22, as viewed in Fig. 3.

The arms 22 have each secured thereto a link 28 and such links are, at their lower ends, respectively connected to pivotally supported dogs 29 respectively carried on stub shafts 30, mounted on the side frames 2 and 3 respectively. The forward ends 31 of the dogs 29 are adapted to lie opposite an extension 32 carried by the upper toggle link [4 when the press is in the closed position, as viewed in Fig. 3, and when the piston of the diaphragm valve 23 is in the lower position, 1. e., when pressure is present in such diaphragm valve.

A screw-threaded link or shaft 33 is'pivotally secured to the side plates by means of the shaft 34. The screw 33 extends through a gear box 35 and in such gear box there is mounted a nut threaded on the shaft 33 but held against relative axial movement with respect to the housing 35. The housing 35 is provided with a rearwardly extending supporting bracket 36 upon which is mounted an electric motor 31, the drive shaft of which extends into the housing 35 and therein connected through suitable reduction gearing with the previously described nut which is threaded on the shaft 33. Extending rearwardly from the housing 35 may be a tubular housing within which the rear end of the screw 33 is protected.

The housing 35 is provided with stub trunnions'38 extending from opposite sides thereof, such trunnions being secured in the bracket 39 rigid with and extending laterally from the lower toggle link H5.

The upper mold section it which mates with the lower mold section 3 in defining the cavity within which the article is to be cured, is connected to the upper press head by meansof a plurality of screw studs 4! so formed that by a rotation of their heads 42, the studs 4| may be linked or contracted and this makes possible the proper alignment between the upper mold section 48 and the upper press headfor the purposes hereinafter more fully explained.

The operation of the above described form of vulcanizing apparatus may be briefly explained as follows:

The press, as illustrated in Fig. l, is in the open position ready to receive an article to be cured. The article, for example, a tire or tube, is placed in the press and a suitable connection made in the conventional manner with the inflating means of such tire or tube and the fluid supply conduits I. The motor 3'! is then energized in a direction to cause the nut in the gear housing 35 to be rotated and travel forwardly on the screw 33. This will cause an extension of the toggle links M and I3 carrying the upper mold section 40 downwardly towards the lower mold section 6. During the first part of such travel the upper head 4 and its associated mold section 43 will be tilted about'the axis of the stub shafts 19, this being due to the fact that the rollers I! in the cam slot l0 move downwardly in such last-named slot. As the upper head 4 continues to close, the rollers carried thereby and operating in the cam slot [0 will ultimately reach the lower vertically extending portion of such slot, whereupon the further closing movement of the upper press head 4 will be in a rectilinear fashion with respect to the-lower mold section 6.

As the upper toggle link M moves into the position illustrated in Fig. 3, i. e., the closed position for the press, the abutment 32 will be moved into the position shown in Fig. 3. As soon as the press is closed, fluid under pressure will be admitted to the interior of the article to be cured. The pressure line such as I connected with the article to be cured is likewise connected with the diaphragm valve 25 so that as soon as pressure is admitted to the latter valve, the piston 25 thereof will be moved downwardly causing the linkage comprising the arms 22, 23 and 28 to cause the arms 29 to move into the position shown in Fig. 3, i. e., adjacent the abutment 32. The arm 29 will be held in this position so long as there is any pressure in the article to be cured, i. e., in the diaphragm valve 23. The locking arm 29 is, therefore, effective to secure the press against being opened so long as there is any substantial amount of pressure in the article to be cured.

The motor 31 employed for the purpose of actuating the press in the manner above described is provided with a suitable over-load relay for the following principal purposes:

In order that the mold sections may be tightly closed during the molding operation, I prefer to have the resistance encountered by the motor in thus tightly closing the molds, deenergize the motor and stop the closing movement rather than to employ limit switches which determine the extent of travel of the upper press head. The provision of an overload release switch for the motor is, therefore, effective to deenergize the motor as soon as the press is closed and the motor has a tendency to stall.

This overload release connected with the motor 31 also functions, if an attempt should be made either intentionally by the operator or by the control devices regulating the length of cure usually associated with presses of this character, to open the press before the pressure within the article to be cured has been reduced to a safe minimum. If the motor should be started to open the press while substantial pressure is present in the article to be cured, the abutment 32 would strike the locking arm 29 and be positively arrested thereby. The motor would then be stalled and the overload release then deenergize the motor in order to prevent the latter from becoming overheated.

In the apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the general construction is the same as that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, with the exception that the mechanical toggle lock is not employed, but instead suitable electrical controls are provided, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and '7.

Referring more particularly to these figures, and more especially to Fig. 4, there are provided a control panel 50, a line switch 5|, a push button panel 52, a pilot light 53, an openin limit switch 54, a solenoid operated air valve for blowout 55, a timer 56, a pilot air valve 51, a steam valve 58, an air valve 59. On the control panel 50 are a closing coil 60, an opening coil 6|, jamming relay 62, overload relay 33, time delay relay 64, transformer 65, switch 65, and fuse 61. The timer 56 comprises a slow speed coil 68, a fast speed coil 69, relay 10, micro switch H, and micro switch 12. The push button panel has an opening button 13, a closing button 14 and a stop button 15. In order not to unduly complicate the drawings, the armature etc. and other mechanical details of the timer 56 have not been shown, since it is believed that illustration of the slow speed winding 68 and the high speed wind- 1ng 69 of the motor is all that is-necessary to understand theoperation of the timer. 9 I

As shown more Clearly in Figs. Sand 6, the cabinet of the control 50 contains a mechanical interlock bar 16 mounted for pivotal movement, as at 11, and movable into engagement with the arms 18 and 19 respectively carried by the switches 18a and 19a of the opening and closing coils 60 and 6| respectively. The switches 18a and 19a are respectively arranged to be moved upwardly against gravity to the closed position by the coils 60 and 6| respectively. The bar 16 has a substantially semi-circular notch 80 in its forward edge and below this notch, the end of the bar is beveled as at 8|. Adjacent the control panel is a safety device, generally indicated at 82, and comprising a casing 83, a flexible diaphragm 84, which through the conduit 85, is responsive to the air bag pressure in the press, a plunger 86, a stop collar 81, a lift bar- 88, mounted for pivotal movement on casing 83, as at 89, a micro switch 90,. contact spring 9|, and a return spring 92 for returning the-plunger to its normal position when the bag pressureis reduced.

The operation of this mechanical'interlock is as follows: i

Normally the bar 88 is down in the dotted line position shown in Figs. and 6, permitting the solenoids which include coils 60 and Bl too-perate in their usual manner, coil 60 being energized to close the press and coil 6| to open the press. The notch 80 is of a shape to engage the round end 88a of the bar 88. When pressure is built up in the space below the diaphragm 84, and the plunger 86 is raised, the bar 88 rises. The end 880; of the bar engages the beveled surface .81 of the interlock bar 16, forcing the latter rearwardly, and permitting the end 86a of the bar to move to a point opposite the notch 80. When the coil 6| is energized, there will be only a slight motion suificient to allow the notch 60 to contact the end 88a of the bar, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 6. This action is not sufiicient to close the contacts, so that no electric energy reaches the motor 31. As long as the energy remains in the coil, suflicient pressure is maintained on the end 88a of the bar 88, so that the latter cannot drop to its lower position, even though thepressure in the air bag has been reduced to the safe limit and plunger 86 dropped to its normal position. Whenever energy is released from the coil 6!, pressure on the bar 16 is relieved, allowing bar 88 to drop into its clearance position, at which time coil 6| can be operated manually by the push button and energy supplied to the motor. It will be noted that by the adjustment of collar 81 on plunger 86 contact with spring 9| can be so made that micro switch 90 will be actuated by spring 9| and contact made in the light circuit to light the pilot light 53, indicating that the pressure in the bag has been reduced. This light will stay lighted until the press is closed and the bag pressure again admitted to the new tire.

The mechanical operation of the press is as follows:

With the press in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 4, the open push button 13 is depressed, energizing the motor 31 and causing the nut on the screw 33 to rotate in such a direction as to force the gear housing 35 and the shaft 34 apart as shown by the arrow A. This action brings the top half of the mold to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the tire has been inserted and the press-is ready to be closed, the operator pushes the closing button 14, thereby reversing the motor. r

The electrical mechanism operates as follows: I

The power lines L L and L are brought in through line switch 5|,lines L and L being carried over to the transformer 65, which reduces'the 440 volt current used to 110 volts for the pilot circuit. From switch 66, the power is carried directly to the stop button 15, where it is distributed to the buttons 13 and 14, to the timer relay 16 and to the micro switch II. It is also carried to the sticker circuits for both opening and closing of the press. The'opening button 13 is connected with the opening coil 6|, and the opening limitswitch 54 to the overload relay 63, and also with the bottom contact of the relay in the timer 56. The closing button 14 is connected with the closing coil 60 and the jamming relay 62 and thento the overload relay 63. The top contacts of the jamming relay 62 are connected to the coil of the relay 64 and the sticker circuit controlled by the relay 64, and in turn, are connected with the fast and slow speed coils 68 and 69 of the timer 2| and the relay coil 10. The top contact of relay 18 of the timer is connected with one side of the relay 64, which in turn, is connected to the micro switch 12 and accordingly one or the other of the windings 68 or 69 of the timer-to energize the timer motor. The pilot light 53 is. connected on one side to that secondary lead from thetransformer which is controlled by the switch 66 and on the other side through the micro switch, in the safety device 82 and the overload relay 63 to the other sec-.

ondary'line of the transformer 65. The relay 63 has no function other than to light the pilot light atall times. when there is no pressure in the bag.

It will now be seen that by pushing the closing button 14, power is carried to the closing coil 66 which energizes the contactor, allowing the 440 volt current to pass through the same to the motor 3.1. When the press has closed and the motor stalled, the power in the motor rises to such an extent that the coil in the jamming relay 62 is sufiicient to lift the contacts from the bottom position, stopping the motor and at the same instantv making contact through the top coils. This energizes the coil in relay 64, closing the contacts which hold same through a sticker circuit. The other. contact furnishes power to the fast side of the timer motor, finishes the reset period, and closes the microswitch 12', which transfers from the fast to the slow speed. This sets the timer into operation through the curing cycle, allowing fluid under pressure to enter through valves 58 and 59 in their proper manner. At the end of the curing period, pressure in the air bag is relieved and let out at the exhaust. At a predetermined time thereafter, the timer closes the micro switch H, energizes relay 10, closes contacts 12, energizing the timer at fast speed, where it continues until micro switch II is opened, stopping the motor. The other relay contact energizes the opening coil 6|, causing the press to open. However, should there be pressure in the bag, the safety device 82, will operate, as previously described, and the interlock bar 16 be so blocked that the power cannot energize the motor 31, and when the timer motor has come to the end of its reset period and the relay 10 has released, the safety mechanism becomes ineffective, at which time the press can be opened by means of the button 13. There is no automatic means for opening the press, once the safety device has been blocked, but there is no diiiicult in pressing the button manually to open the press after the pilot light has been lighted.

The control apparatus shown in Fig. '7 is sub-' stantially the same as that shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, with the following exceptions:

A separate push button I is used for starting the timer relay 64. Jamming relay 62 has no top contacts and has nothing to do with the starting of the timer, but simply stops'the main motor 31 after it is stalled. The opening limit switch 54 has a double micro spring loaded so that the contact closes immediately after the press leaves its open position. This completes the circuit between the coil 2 in the cabinet and the push button.

In operation, the operator depresses the closing button 14 which starts the main motor 31, and as soon as the limit switch has been relieved and gone back to its normal position, the operator is free to push the time switch button. This energizes relay 64, in turn, starting the clock which continues to run until the top contact in relay I0 is broken, which deenergizes the relay coil 64. Power is then supplied to the timer through the bottom contact of relay 10 and to the opening coil 6 l, and the press is opened in the same manner as in Fig. 4 and the safety device 82 operates in exactly the same manner as described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6. This makes it impossible for the timer to start automatically by the closing of the press and also for the press to automatically open if the safety device 82 and its associated control means has interfered with the normal opening of the press.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinct- 2. In a molding press, the combination of separable mold sections, means including an electric motor for moving said mold sections relatively and toward each other to define a curing chamber therebetween and to separate said mold sections at the conclusion of a curing operation, mechanical means to prevent movement of said movable mold sections when pressures in said curing chamber are above a predetermined minimum, and means responsive to the resistance encountered by said motor in attempting to overcome said mechanical means for deenergizing said motor.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of separable mold sections which, when in contact with each other, define a curing chamber therebetween, means for opening and closing said mold sections, means effective at the expiration of a predetermined time after said mold sections are closed to cause said first named means to begin opening the same, and means connected with said curing cavity and functionally responsive to predetermined pressure in said cavity to interrupt said opening means after the mold sections have separated at least slightly.

4. In a molding press the combination of relatively movable press heads, a toggle linkage for effecting such relative movement, a motor and gear housing secured to members of said toggle linkage in such a way that the gravitational effect of said motor and gear housing tends to straighten said toggle and close the press, a screw threaded shaft anchored to a stationary portion of the press, and a nut on said shaft arranged to be driven by said motor and gear housing.

5. In a molding press, the combination of separable mold sections, means including an electric motor for moving said mold sections relatively toward each other to define a curing chamber therebetween and to separate said mold sections at the conclusion of a curing operation, control means for said motor including a timer and power switch, the timer being efiective at the end of a cure to close said power switch to energize the motor for opening movement of the press, a safety device functionally responsive to fluid pressure within the curing chamber, and a movable element actuated by said safety device to contact the power switch and prevent said power switch from being moved to closed position by said timer when pressures in said curing chamber are above a predetermined minimum.

JAMES W. BRUNDAGE. 

